Norway ferry
Strömstad - Sandefjord
The short ferry link from Sweden to southern Norway - skips the drive around the Oslofjord and takes you straight into Vestfold
- Just 2 hours 30 minutes across the Oslofjord aboard Color Line's Color Hybrid
- Usually 2 departures a day in each direction, a day ferry with no cabin required
- Check-in for car and foot passengers in Strömstad and Sandefjord up to 30 minutes before departure
Route guide
Strömstad - Sandefjord ferry at a glance
Table of Contents
Everything about the Strömstad - Sandefjord route with Color Line: getting to the terminals, check-in deadlines, facilities on board the Color Hybrid, vehicle and pet rules, and onward travel from Sandefjord.
Getting to the terminal in Strömstad
The Color Line terminal in Strömstad sits right in town on the Torskholmen peninsula; set your sat-nav for Torskholmen, 452 31 Strömstad. Coming from the E6, follow the signs for "Sandefjord" to the port; from Gothenburg it's around 170 kilometres north on the motorway. There's a large car park right at the terminal, chargeable from 1 May to 31 August. Strömstad's bus and rail station - the northern end of the Bohus line from Gothenburg - is about a five-minute walk away, and foot passengers check in at the terminal building. The desk is staffed daily from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00.
Check-in and departure
Color Line requires you to be at the terminal at least 30 minutes before departure - otherwise your reserved place is forfeited. This applies at both ports and to drivers and foot passengers alike; check-in opens around 2.5 hours before departure. To check in you'll need your booking number and valid ID, as Norway carries out border checks. The Color Hybrid usually sails twice daily in each direction: from Sandefjord in the morning at 10:00 and in the afternoon at 17:00, from Strömstad at midday and in the evening at 20:00; on a few days a departure is cancelled. Exact times for your date are in the timetable. Unaccompanied travel on the crossing requires a minimum age of 16, or 20 for a same-day return on the 17:00 departure.
On board
The Color Hybrid was built in 2019 at Ulstein Verft, is 160 metres long and is registered in Sandefjord. Its roughly 5-megawatt-hour battery is enough for up to 60 minutes of manoeuvring and sailing at 0 to 12 knots - so the ship runs on electric power in port and along the coast. On the 2.5-hour crossing you travel without a cabin: food is available at the Koster buffet, the Restaurant Utsikten and a café, and the Utsikten Bar & Lounge has live entertainment on several days of the week. The tax-free shops cover around 2,000 square metres across two decks; they open 15 minutes after departure and close 15 minutes before arrival, and you'll need your boarding card to shop. Wi-Fi is free throughout the ship. On-board payment is in Norwegian or Swedish kroner, and shop prices are marked in Norwegian kroner; there's no currency exchange desk, but there is a cash machine at reception. All public areas are wheelchair accessible.
Vehicles, bikes and pets
You can bring cars, motorhomes and campervans. Color Line classes vehicles up to 5 metres long and 1.95 metres high as cars, and vehicles up to 5 metres long and 2.55 metres high as motorhomes; anything larger is booked for a surcharge. On some departures campervan spaces are limited - so book ahead. Switch off your vehicle's alarm as soon as you're parked on the car deck, as the noise stresses the animals travelling there. Details on travelling with a motorhome are in the motorhome guide. Pets travel free of charge with no limit on numbers: dogs and cats stay for the whole crossing either in the vehicle or in one of the 13 fixed kennels in the pet room on deck 9 (65 cm wide, 100 cm high, 80 cm deep), which has a small outdoor area in front. Color Line does not allow visits to the car during the crossing. Entry requirements are summarised in the dogs and pets guide.
Arrival in Sandefjord and onward travel
In Sandefjord the ferry docks at the Color Line terminal, Strandpromenaden 20, 3210 Sandefjord. The bus and rail station, with the Vestfold line to Oslo and Larvik, is about a ten-minute walk away, with a taxi rank directly opposite. By car you're on the E18 within a few minutes: Oslo is around 120 kilometres north, and Larvik and the Telemark direction around 25 kilometres south-west. On the return journey, park in the municipal car park opposite the terminal building; advance booking isn't possible.
Tickets and fares
Color Line offers the crossing in two fare types: the cheaper Economy ticket, which isn't refunded if you cancel or miss the departure, can only be rebooked for a change fee and can't later be upgraded to Flex, and the Flex fare, which lets you rebook free of charge up to departure and gives a full refund if you cancel before departure. There's also the Auto Saver package for drivers and the Camper Saver package for motorhomes. Booking early gets you the best price; current prices for your travel date are shown in the booking window, with an overview in the price guide.
Strömstad - Sandefjord
Short and direct from Sweden to Vestfold
The Strömstad - Sandefjord route links Sweden's west coast with Vestfold in southern Norway in 2.5 hours. Color Line runs the Color Hybrid on this crossing, a 160-metre plug-in hybrid ship built in 2019 that sails on electric power in port and near the coast. Both terminals sit right in the town centre: in Strömstad on the Torskholmen peninsula, in Sandefjord on the Strandpromenaden.
For drivers coming from the Gothenburg direction, the ferry replaces the road route around the Oslofjord. On board you'll find a buffet restaurant, the Restaurant Utsikten, a bar with a lounge and around 2,000 square metres of tax-free shopping across two decks. In Sandefjord you're right on the E18 - Oslo, Larvik and the Vestfold coast are all a short drive away.
- Crossing
- 2 hr 30 min
- Operator
- Color Line
- Frequency
- 2× daily
Next departures
FAQ: Strömstad - Sandefjord
Frequently asked questions
Questions and answers about the Strömstad-Sandefjord ferry route
How long is the ferry from Strömstad to Sandefjord?+
The crossing aboard the Color Hybrid takes 2 hours and 30 minutes. Because the ferry runs on electric power in port and near the coast, it starts and ends the crossing slowly there - the crossing time is the same in both directions.
How often does the ferry run and what are the departure times?+
Color Line usually runs the route twice a day in each direction: from Sandefjord in the morning at 10:00 and in the afternoon at 17:00, from Strömstad at midday and in the evening at 20:00. On a few days each year one departure is cancelled. You'll find the current times for your travel date in the timetable.
How much does the Strömstad to Sandefjord ferry cost?+
Color Line offers the route as an Auto Saver package including your car, and as a Camper Saver package for motorhomes; travelling without a vehicle as a foot passenger works out cheapest. Current prices for your travel date are shown in the booking window, with an overview in the price guide. Tips for travelling by motorhome are in our motorhome guide.
Are there cabins on the Color Hybrid and what does the ship offer?+
The Color Hybrid is a day ferry, so on the 2.5-hour crossing you travel without a cabin. On board there's the Koster buffet, the Restaurant Utsikten, a café and the Utsikten Bar & Lounge with live entertainment on several days of the week. There's also around 2,000 square metres of tax-free shopping across two decks, a greenhouse on the sun deck and two glass floor panels looking down onto the water. Wi-Fi is free throughout the ship.
Can I bring my car or motorhome?+
Yes, you can bring cars, motorhomes and campervans. Color Line classes vehicles up to 5 metres long and 1.95 metres high as cars, and vehicles up to 5 metres long and 2.55 metres high as motorhomes; anything larger is booked for a surcharge. On some departures campervan spaces are limited, so book early. Switch off your vehicle's alarm as soon as you're parked on the car deck. You'll find everything on travelling with a motorhome in the motorhome guide.
Can I bring my dog or cat?+
Yes, pets are welcome on board the Color Hybrid and travel free of charge. Dogs and cats stay for the whole crossing either in the vehicle or in one of the 13 fixed kennels in the pet room on deck 9; Color Line does not allow visits to the car during the crossing. What Norway requires for entry with a dog is summarised in our dogs and pets guide.
When do I need to be at the port and what do I need for check-in?+
You need to be at the terminal at least 30 minutes before departure, or your reserved place is forfeited - this applies in both Strömstad and Sandefjord, and to car and foot passengers alike. Check-in opens around 2.5 hours before departure. Have your booking number and valid ID ready; Norway carries out border checks, so you'll need a passport or national ID card.